By Anuj Cariappa

| Updated: Friday, February 26, 2021, 18:22 [IST]

New Delhi, Feb 26: Voting for five assembly elections will begin on March 27, with West Bengal conducting the maximum eight phases continuing till April 29, and votes for the polls in the four states and one union territory will be counted on May 2, the Election Commission said on Friday.

As many as 18.68 crore voters will be eligible to cast their votes at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 assembly seats across Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The elections for the five assemblies are expected to witness a determined attempt by the BJP to put a strong show, including in Assam where it is already in power, as well as in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry where the saffron party has been pushing hard in recent years.

Assembly Election Dates Announcement Live Highlights:

Newest First Oldest First

6:11 PM, 26 Feb

This will be last set of elections during my tenure before I demit office on April 13: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora

6:10 PM, 26 Feb

Election Commission to appoint 2 special observers for West Bengal polls; If needed third can be sent: CEC Sunil Arora

6:10 PM, 26 Feb

Polling for second phase of West Bengal assembly elections on April 1 to cover 30 constituencies: EC

5:37 PM, 26 Feb

Assam: 3 phases First phase- elections on 27 March Second phase- elections on April 1 Third phase- elections on April 6 Counting- May 2

5:35 PM, 26 Feb

West Bengal Assembly Election will be held in eight phases. First phase polling on March 27 Second phase: April 1 Third phase: April 6 Fourth phase: April 10 Fifth phase: April 17 Sixth phase: April 22 Seventh phase: April 26 Eight phase: April 29

5:26 PM, 26 Feb

Sunil Arora said that polls in West Bengal will be held in 8 phases.

5:25 PM, 26 Feb

Results for all states to be out on May 2

5:24 PM, 26 Feb

Single phase polling in Puducherry on April 6

5:22 PM, 26 Feb

Single phase polling in Tamil Nadu on April 6

5:21 PM, 26 Feb

Single phase polling in Kerala on April 6

5:20 PM, 26 Feb

The first phase will be on March 27, date of counting on May 2.

5:18 PM, 26 Feb

Assam polls to be held in 3 phases

5:17 PM, 26 Feb

All political parties to publish details of criminal records of their candidates in the local newspaper, channel and their website.

5:16 PM, 26 Feb

Separate norms for suspected Covid-19 patients.

5:16 PM, 26 Feb

Model Code of Conduct to come into force immediately after the announcement of the election dates: Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner

5:11 PM, 26 Feb

Arrangements to be in place for candidates to file nominations online for five assembly polls.

5:11 PM, 26 Feb

EC to deploy special, general, expenditure and police observers to poll-bound states.

5:07 PM, 26 Feb

Adequate CAPFs deployment shall be ensured during elections. All critical, vulnerable polling stations identified and an adequate number of CAPFs will be deployed: Sunil Arora.

5:06 PM, 26 Feb

CAPF forces were dispatched for all poll-bound states on the same date, says Arora dismissing rumours that the CE had sent security forces in advance only in West Bengal.

5:01 PM, 26 Feb

Poll timing to be increased by 1 hr like Bihar: CEC

4:59 PM, 26 Feb

Door-to door campaign has been limited to 5 people. says CEC.

4:58 PM, 26 Feb

The EC has allowed the postal ballot only for senior citizens, sick and essential service employees.

4:58 PM, 26 Feb

Roadshows will be allowed during the poll campaign provided that the convoy is broken after every five vehicles, says CEC.

4:55 PM, 26 Feb

Puducherry seats-30 SC-5, ST-nil

4:55 PM, 26 Feb

Kerala assembly-1 June, seats-140, SC- 14, ST-2

4:55 PM, 26 Feb

Term of WB assembly till May30, seats 294, SC-68, ST-16

4:54 PM, 26 Feb

Term of Tamil Nadu- May24, no. of seats 234, SC-44, ST -2

4:54 PM, 26 Feb

Term of Assam assembly up to 31st May, no. of assembly seats 126, SC-8, ST-16

4:54 PM, 26 Feb

He also said that the people employed in the poll process have been categorised as frontline workers and will be vaccinated before the polls.

4:52 PM, 26 Feb

"Due to Covid-19, we have decreased the number of polling stations in each state," says Sunil Arora. "This means we would need many more polling and security personnel," he added.

3:39 PM, 26 Feb

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will on Friday announce the poll schedule for West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry, where the terms of the respective legislative assemblies will end either in May or in June this year.

3:39 PM, 26 Feb

The is the second Assembly election to be conducted amid COVID-19 pandemic. The Election Commission had successfully conducted Bihar Assembly elections in November last year.

3:50 PM, 26 Feb

The announcement comes a day after the commission held a meeting to finalise the election dates.

3:56 PM, 26 Feb

The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states is coming to an end in May and June.

3:56 PM, 26 Feb

In Puducherry, President's Rule has been imposed and the assembly kept under suspended animation after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress government resigned earlier this week ahead of a vote of confidence.

4:02 PM, 26 Feb

In West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks to give fierce competition to the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, which has 294 seats.

4:03 PM, 26 Feb

The BJP has also claimed that the atmosphere in Kerala seemed to be in its favour

4:07 PM, 26 Feb

In Tamil Nadu, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the BJP is fighting the polls in alliance with the AIADMK. The southern state has 234 seats.

4:22 PM, 26 Feb

Hour before the Election Commission releases the poll dates, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced a hike in minimum wages for daily wage labourers.

4:22 PM, 26 Feb

As per the new Urban Employment Scheme, an unskilled labourer in West Bengal will now be paid Rs 202 per day instead of Rs 144.

4:22 PM, 26 Feb

I am pleased to announce a HIKE in the wages of daily wage workers under WB Urban Employment Scheme:

> To ₹202 per day from ₹144 earlier for unskilled labour

> To ₹303 from ₹172 earlier for semi-skilled

> ₹404 for skilled labour (new category introduced)

(1/2)
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 26, 2021

A semi-skilled worker, who was earlier paid Rs 172 will now get Rs 303 per day. A skilled worker, a new category introduced in the new policy, will be paid Rs 404 per day.

4:24 PM, 26 Feb

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy announced that gold loans against up to six sovereigns given by cooperative banks to farmers and the poor will be waived.

4:29 PM, 26 Feb

Polls will be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry.

4:30 PM, 26 Feb

The Election Commission team, including Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, has reached the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi for the press conference.

4:32 PM, 26 Feb

The Election Commission presser begins to announce dates for 5 state polls.

4:36 PM, 26 Feb

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said that the year 2021 brings hope and solidarity.

4:36 PM, 26 Feb

He also paid a tribute to the COVID warriors and people who did extraordinary work to help the country return to normalcy.

4:37 PM, 26 Feb

Arora said that the commission would ensure free, fair, inducement-free and COVID-19-safe elections.

4:38 PM, 26 Feb

Bihar polls were a litimus test for us, says Arora

4:47 PM, 26 Feb

ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha. After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, it was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test: CEC Sunil Arora

4:47 PM, 26 Feb

The term of Assam assembly is up to 31 May 2021. Total no of assembly seats is 126: Chief Election Commissioner

4:47 PM, 26 Feb

86 crore electorate will vote for 824 assembly seats in these polls: CEC

4:49 PM, 26 Feb

Discussed with home ministry for security forces and railways for coaches for transport.

4:50 PM, 26 Feb

I must compliment voters despite several odds, says CEC

4:52 PM, 26 Feb

"All polling stations are on ground floor. This is non-negotiable," says Sunil Arora.

4:52 PM, 26 Feb

"Due to Covid-19, we have decreased the number of polling stations in each state," says Sunil Arora. "This means we would need many more polling and security personnel," he added.

4:54 PM, 26 Feb

He also said that the people employed in the poll process have been categorised as frontline workers and will be vaccinated before the polls.

4:54 PM, 26 Feb

Term of Assam assembly up to 31st May, no. of assembly seats 126, SC-8, ST-16

4:54 PM, 26 Feb

Term of Tamil Nadu- May24, no. of seats 234, SC-44, ST -2

4:55 PM, 26 Feb

Term of WB assembly till May30, seats 294, SC-68, ST-16

Just In

Don't Miss

Five assembly polls to begin March 27, counting of votes on May 2

More ELECTION COMMISSION News